Ice Maker and Refrigerator Having Same

ABSTRACT

An ice maker and a refrigerator having the same are disclosed. The refrigerator includes a main body having a storage room therein; a door on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; an ice maker in the storage room; and a controller, wherein the ice maker includes: an ice tray configured to contain water; a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having a concave center portion; and a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray to the ice bucket, wherein the controller drives the rotation unit at least to prevent super-cooling before the water in the ice tray freezes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an ice maker and a refrigerator havingthe same.

BACKGROUND

A refrigerator is an apparatus for storing food at a low temperature.The refrigerator can be configured to store the food in a frozen orrefrigerated state according to the type of food to be stored. Theinside of the refrigerator is cooled down by continuously supplied coldair, and the cold air is continuously generated by the heat exchangeaction of a refrigerant by way of a refrigeration cycle going throughthe process of compression, condensation, expansion and evaporation.Since the cold air supplied to the inside of the refrigerator is evenlydelivered inside the refrigerator owing to convection, the food insidethe refrigerator can be stored at a desired temperature.

An ice maker may be provided in the refrigerator for the convenience ofuse. The ice maker may make ice by supplying cold air to water andstoring a predetermined amount of ice. The ice maker may include an icemaking tray for making ice, and an ice storage unit for storing the icemade by the ice making tray.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to provide an ice maker that caneffectively make ice, and a refrigerator having the same.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide anice maker that can reduce the time for freezing water, and arefrigerator having the same.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide anice maker that can prevent a super-cooling phenomenon, and arefrigerator having the same.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provideda refrigerator comprising a main body having a storage room therein; adoor on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; anice maker in the storage room; and a controller, wherein the ice makerincludes an ice tray configured to contain water; a guide unit under theice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; an ice bucket under theguide unit and comprising a container having a concave center portion;and a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray to theice bucket, wherein the controller drives the rotation unit at least toprevent super-cooling before the water in the ice tray freezes.

The ice maker may further include a temperature sensor capable ofsensing a temperature of the water in the ice tray. The controller maydrive the rotation unit when the temperature of the water (e.g., assensed by the temperature sensor) reaches a super-cooling preventiontemperature.

The super-cooling prevention temperature may be 0° C. or greater.

For example, the super-cooling prevention temperature may be 3 to 6° C.

The rotation unit may include an ice removing shaft above the ice trayand having one or more ice removing prominences; and/or a drive or adrive housing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to providepower to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft. The controller maydrive and/or rotate the rotation unit so that the ice removingprominence(s) contact the water (e.g., during the super-coolingprevention), until the ice removing prominence(s) come out of the water(e.g., according to the rotation of the ice removing shaft). Duringrotation of the ice removing shaft, the temperature of the water may begreater than 0° C.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a refrigerator comprising a main body having a storage roomtherein; a door on the main body, configured to open and close thestorage room; an ice maker in the storage room; and a controller,wherein the ice maker includes an ice tray configured to contain water;a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; anice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having aconcave center portion; a rotation unit configured to move the ice inthe ice tray to the ice bucket; and a vibration unit capable of applyinga vibration to the ice tray.

The rotation unit may include an ice removing shaft above the ice trayand having one or more ice removing prominences; and/or a drive or adrive housing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to providepower to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft. The vibration unit maybe in the drive housing.

The ice maker may further include a temperature sensor capable ofsensing a temperature of the water in the ice tray, and the controllermay drive the vibration unit when the temperature of the water (e.g., assensed by the temperature sensor) reaches a super-cooling preventiontemperature.

The super-cooling prevention temperature may be 0° C. or greater.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an ice maker comprising an ice tray configured to containwater; a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing coldair; an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a containerhaving a concave center portion; a rotation unit configured to move theice in the ice tray to the ice bucket; and a vibration unit capable ofapplying a vibration to the ice tray.

The rotation unit may include an ice removing shaft above the ice trayand having one or more ice removing prominences; and/or a drive or adrive housing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to providepower to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft. The vibration unit maybe in the drive housing.

The vibration unit may comprise a motor configured to generate thevibration.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ice maker thatcan effectively make ice and a refrigerator having the same can beprovided.

In addition, an ice maker that can reduce the time for freezing waterand a refrigerator having the same can be provided.

In addition, an ice maker that can prevent generation of a super-coolingphenomenon and a refrigerator having the same can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an exemplary refrigerator accordingto one or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an exemplary ice maker suitable forthe refrigerator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the ice maker of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the ice maker of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the change of temperature of water or ice in aconventional ice maker;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the control relationships in the icemaker of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing an ice making assembly according to anotherembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described inmore detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The disclosedembodiments may be modified in a variety of forms, and the scope of thepresent invention should not be limited to the embodiments describedbelow. The embodiments are provided to explain the present invention tothose skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shapes of the elements in thedrawing may be exaggerated to emphasize more clear descriptions.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a refrigerator according to one ormore embodiments of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, a refrigerator 1 according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention may include a main body 10 and oneor more doors 20.

Hereinafter, the direction from the rear side to the front side of therefrigerator 1 is referred to as a thickness direction, the directionfrom one side surface to another side surface of the refrigerator 1 isreferred to as a width direction, and the direction from the bottomsurface to the top surface of the refrigerator 1 is referred to as aheight direction. The door(s) 20 are at the front of the refrigerator 1,and the icemaker 30 is adjacent to the top surface of the refrigerator1.

The main body 10 provides and/or defines the overall external shape ofthe refrigerator 1. At least one storage room 11 may be inside the mainbody 10. The storage room(s) 11 inside the main body 10 may bepartitioned by a barrier 12. The storage room(s) 11 may include one ormore refrigeration rooms R and one or more freezer rooms F. For example,the refrigeration room(s) R may be at or in the upper part of the mainbody 10, and the freezer room(s) F may be at or in the lower part of themain body 10.

At least one door 20 is on the main body 10. The door 20 opens andcloses the storage room 11. For example, the door 20 is hingedly orpivotally fixed to the main body 10 to rotate and may open and close thestorage room 11 as it rotates with respect to the main body 10. Thenumber of doors 20 may correspond to the number of partitions of thestorage room 11. For example, doors 20 are provided in front of therefrigeration room(s) R and the freezer room(s) F, respectively, and mayindividually open and close a corresponding one of the refrigerationroom R and the freezer room F. For example, two doors 20 may be providedin the refrigeration room R on the left and right sides of therefrigerator 1. One or more shelves 21 may be provided on the insidesurface of the door 20.

An ice maker 30 may be at or on one side of one storage room 11. Forexample, the ice maker 30 may be in one refrigeration room R and/or atthe upper part of one of the storage rooms 11. Alternatively, the icemaker 30 may be in one door 20 or in the freezer room F.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an ice maker suitable for therefrigerator 1 of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showingthe ice maker of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view ofthe ice maker of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4, the ice maker may include a case 100, an icemaking assembly 200, an ice bucket 300, a discharge unit 400 and atransfer unit 500.

The ice maker 30 may make and store ice.

Hereinafter, the direction from a cold air duct 110 to the dischargeunit 400 is referred to as a first direction X, a directionperpendicular to the first direction X (e.g., a horizontal directionand/or in a plane) is referred to as a second direction Y, and thevertical direction perpendicular to both the first direction X and thesecond direction Y is referred to as a third direction Z. In addition, aside on which the discharge unit 400 is located is referred to as afront side, and side on in which the cold air duct 110 is located isreferred to as a rear side.

The external shape of the ice maker 30 may be defined in part by thecase 100. The case 100 may have a preset volume and a space foraccommodating constitutional components of the ice maker 30 therein. Thecase 100 may be fixed at a point inside the storage room 11 or insidethe door 20.

The ice making assembly 200 may make ice by exchanging heat of or in thewater with cold air. The ice making assembly 200 may include an ice tray2100, a guide unit 2200, a rotation unit 2300 and a cover unit 2400.

The ice tray 2100 is configured to contain water. The water in the icetray 2100 becomes ice through heat exchange with cold air. The ice tray2100 comprises a container having a center portion that is concavedownwards (e.g., U-shaped), and a space and/or preset volume forcontaining water may be on or in the ice tray 2100. For example, the icetray 2100 may comprise a multi-compartment container, each compartmentbeing configured to hold a predetermined volume of liquid water andoptionally having a convex lower surface, in which the center of eachcompartment has a greater depth than along the sidewalls of eachcompartment. The ice tray 2100 may have a preset length along the firstdirection X and a preset width in the second direction Y. For example,the ice tray 2100 may be rectangular as seen from the top (e.g., in aplan view).

A heater 2110 may be under the ice tray 2100. The heater 2110 maycontact the bottom surface of the ice tray 2100 at least at one point.When the ice made in the ice tray 2100 is transferred to the ice bucket300 by the rotation unit 2300, the heater 2110 may heat the bottomsurface of the ice tray 2100 so that the ice may be effectivelyseparated from the ice tray 2100.

The guide unit 2200 may be under the ice tray 2100. The guide unit 2200forms a path for flowing cold air onto and/or around the ice tray 2100.The cold air flowing between the guide unit 2200 and the ice tray 2100cools down the ice tray 2100 to freeze the water in the ice tray 2100.The guide unit 2200 may have a preset length in the first direction Xand a preset width in the second direction Y. The guide unit 2200 maycontact the ice tray 2100 at least at one point and may support the icetray 2100. The rear end of the guide unit 2200 in the first direction Xmay communicate with the cold air duct 110 that supplies the cold air.The guide unit 2200 may be fixed to the inside surface of the case 100or to the cold air duct 110.

The rotation unit 2300 moves the ice in the ice tray 2100 to the icebucket 300. The rotation unit 2300 may include an ice removing shaft2310 and a drive housing 2320.

As the ice removing shaft 2310 rotates, the ice in the ice tray 2100 ismoved to the outside of the ice tray 2100. The ice removing shaft 2310has a preset length and may be in a space above the ice tray 2100. Thelength of the ice removing shaft 2310 may be in or along the firstdirection X. One or more ice removing prominences 2311 may be along theice removing shaft 2310. The ice removing prominence(s) 2311 may extendfrom an outer surface of the ice removing shaft 2310 by a preset length.The ice removing prominence(s) 2311 may not contact the water in the icetray 2100 when the rotation unit 2300 is in a standby state (i.e., notin an operational state). When the ice removing shaft 2310 rotates fortransfer of the ice, the ice removing prominence(s) 2311 may push theice out of the ice tray 2100.

A drive unit (e.g., motor) inside the drive housing 2320 provides powerfor rotating the ice removing shaft 2310. The drive housing 2320 may belocated at one side of the ice tray 2100 along or with respect to thefirst direction X. The drive housing 2320 may be located on the oppositeside of the ice removing shaft 2310 from the cold air duct 110. One endof the ice removing shaft 2310 may be inserted into the drive housing2320 by a preset length and connected to the driving unit (e.g., amotor) inside the drive housing 2320.

The cover unit 2400 may be on or over the ice tray 2100 in or along thethird direction Z. The cover unit 2400 may cover all or part of the icetray 2100. The cover unit 2400 may have a preset length in the firstdirection X and a preset width in the second direction Y. The width ofthe cover unit 2400 may correspond to the width of the guide unit 2200or may be larger than the width of the guide unit 2200 by a set width.Accordingly, the ice tray 2100 may be between the cold air guide unit2200 and the cover unit 2400. The front end of the cover unit 2400 maycontact the top of the drive housing 2320. The cover unit 2400 may befixed to the inner surface of the case 2410 at least at one point.

A water supply unit 2410 may be at the rear end of the cover unit 2400.The water supply unit 2410 supplies water from an external source to theice tray 2100. For example, a water supply hole 120 connected to a watersupply pipe 121 may be at one side of the case 100. In addition, thewater supply unit 2410 may be aligned with the water supply hole 120,and the water flowing through the water supply hole 120 may be suppliedto the water supply unit 2410.

The ice bucket 300 is under the ice making assembly 200 and contains icefrom the ice making assembly 200. The ice bucket 300 may have a presetlength along the first direction X and a preset width in the seconddirection Y. The ice bucket 300 may comprise a container having a centerportion that is concave downwards (e.g., U-shaped), and the ice bucket300 may include a preset volume for containing ice. As seen from the topalong the third direction Z, at least part of the ice bucket 300 ispositioned outside the ice tray 2100 in the width direction, and the icesupplied from the ice tray 2100 may be contained in the ice bucket 300.

The discharge unit 400 may be at an end of the ice bucket 300. Thedischarge unit 400 discharges the ice in the ice bucket 300 to theoutside of the ice maker 30 (e.g., through the corresponding door 20;see FIG. 1). The discharge unit 400 may be coupled or connected to thefront end of the ice bucket 300. The discharge unit 400 may be outsidethe case 100. The discharge unit 400 has a width corresponding to thecase 100 in the second direction Y and a height corresponding to thecase 100 in the third direction Z and may shield the case 100. Thedischarge unit 400 may be detachable from the case 100. Accordingly, ifthe user separates the discharge unit 400 from the case 100 and movesthe discharge unit 400 forward (e.g., out of the corresponding storagespace), the ice bucket 300 may be exposed to the outside of the case100.

The transfer unit 500 moves the ice in the ice bucket 300 to thedischarge unit 400. The transfer unit 500 includes a transfer shaft 510and a transfer housing 520.

As the transfer shaft 510 rotates, the ice in the ice bucket 300 movesto the discharge unit 400. The transfer shaft 510 has a preset lengthand may be in the lower part or portion of the ice bucket 300. Thetransfer shaft 510 may have a length or rotational axis in or along thefirst direction X. For example, the transfer shaft 510 may be orcomprise an auger.

The transfer housing 520 houses a motor that provides power for rotatingthe transfer shaft 510. The transfer housing 520 may be at one side ofthe ice bucket 300 in or along the first direction X. The transferhousing 520 may be on the opposite side of the ice bucket 300 from thedischarge unit 400. The transfer shaft 510 is coupled or connected tothe transfer housing 520 or the motor therein, and may rotate by thepower provided by the motor in the transfer housing 520.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing the change in the temperature of the water orice in a conventional ice maker.

The graph showing the change in the temperature of the water in the icemaker may be divided into an ice transfer section or period S1, a watersupply section or period S2, and an ice making section or period S3.

If the temperature reaches an ice removing start temperature T1 afterwater is supplied to the ice tray, the ice transfer section or period S1may begin. The ice removing start temperature T1 is less than 0° C., andmay be from −5° C. to −20° C. When the ice transfer section or period S1begins, the heater begins to operate, and the ice is effectivelyseparated from the ice tray 2100. In addition, after a preset time haselapsed (e.g., after the beginning of the heater 2110 operation), therotation unit 2300 operates, and the ice is moved to the ice bucket.

When transfer of the ice from the ice bucket is completed, water formaking ice is supplied to the ice tray in the water supply section orperiod S2.

When the supply of water is completed, the water in the ice tray iscooled down by cold air and ice is made in the ice making section orperiod S3. Then, when the preset temperature for removing ice is reachedduring the cooling, the ice transfer section or period S1 may beginagain.

Such an operation of the conventional ice maker is performed on theassumption that ice is in the ice tray at the ice removing starttemperature T1. However, in the process of operating the ice maker,there may be a super-cooling section or period S4 based on asuper-cooling phenomenon, in which ice is not formed in the ice tray2100 even after the temperature of the water in the ice tray decreasesbelow 0° C., and the water in the ice tray 2100 remains in the liquidphase. In the super-cooling section or period S4, ice is not made in theice tray, and the time at which the ice transfer section or period S1begins after the ice making section or period S3 can increase.

In addition, if the ice removing start temperature T1 is reached in thesuper-cooling state, the rotation unit operates, and the ice removingshaft or the ice removing prominence(s) contact the water in thesuper-cooling state. If a force acts on water in the super-coolingstate, the water may very quickly change state (i.e., solidify), and icemay be formed while the ice removing prominence(s) is in contact withthe super-cooled water. If the rotation unit continues to operate inthis state, it can be broken.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing control relationships of the ice makerof FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, a temperature sensor 140 may be in the ice maker30. The temperature sensor 140 may sense a temperature of the water orthe ice in the ice tray 2100. For example, the temperature sensor 140may be in the ice tray 2100 and may sense directly temperature of thewater or the ice in the ice tray 2100. Alternatively, the temperaturesensor 140 may be or comprise a non-contact type temperature sensorcapable of sensing the temperature of a material or substance using anon-contact method, based on laser irradiation, irradiating the materialor substance with infrared light, or the like. In other configurationsof the ice maker 30, the temperature sensor 140 may be inside the drivehousing 2320, the cover unit 2400, the cold air guide unit 2200, the icebucket 300 or the case 100, and may sense the temperature of the wateror the ice in the ice tray 2100.

A controller 40 controls constitutional components of the ice maker 30.In addition, the controller 40 may control other constitutionalcomponents of the refrigerator 1. For example, the controller 40 has onephysical configuration at one side of the refrigerator 1 to control theconstitutional components of the ice maker 30 and other constitutionalcomponents of the refrigerator 1. Alternatively, the controller 40 mayhave two or more physical configurations at one or more points orlocations in the refrigerator 1. In addition, part of the controller 40may control the ice maker 30, and other part(s) of the controller 40 maycontrol other constitutional components of the refrigerator 1. When thecontroller 40 has two or more physical configurations, each part of thecontroller is electrically connected to the other part(s), and mayperform control in connection and/or cooperation with each other.

Operation of the ice maker 30 may be divided into an ice transfersection or period S1, a water supply section or period S2, and an icemaking section or period S3 (see the graph shown in FIG. 5).Hereinafter, operations of the ice maker 30 will be described withrespect to FIGS. 5 and 6.

The controller 40 drives the rotation unit 2300 using a signal from thetemperature sensor 140. The controller 40 drives the rotation unit 2300at least twice during one ice making cycle of the ice maker 30, whichincludes the ice transfer section or period S1, the water supply sectionor period S2, and the ice making section or period S3. The controller 40drives the rotation unit 2300 in the ice transfer section or period Sito transfer ice, and in the ice making section or period S3 to preventsuper-cooling.

The controller 40 drives the rotation unit 2300 at least once in the icemaking section or period S3 to prevent super-cooling. Specifically, theice making section or period S3 begins after the water supply section orperiod S2 is over, and the controller 40 determines the temperature ofthe water in the ice tray 2100 from a signal representing thetemperature of the water from the temperature sensor 140. Then, when thecontroller 40 senses that the temperature of the water reaches asuper-cooling prevention temperature, the controller 40 drives therotation unit 2300 to rotate the ice removing shaft 2310. Thesuper-cooling prevention temperature may be greater than 0° C. Forexample, the super-cooling prevention temperature may be 3 to 6° C. Inaddition, the ice removing shaft 2310 may rotate at a preset speed. Forexample, the ice removing shaft 2310 may rotate at a speed of 0.5 to 1.5rpm/min. Accordingly, to prevent super-cooling of the water, the iceremoving shaft 2310 may be rotated when the temperature of the water inthe ice tray 2100 is greater than 0° C. Thus, super-cooling preventionmay comprise contacting the ice removing prominence(s) 2311 with thewater and/or passing the ice removing prominence(s) 2311 through thewater (e.g., one or more times) while the temperature of the water inthe ice tray 2100 is greater than 0° C. (for example, until the iceremoving prominence 2311 comes out of the water according to therotation of the ice removing shaft 2310).

When the ice removing shaft 2310 is driven and/or rotated to preventsuper-cooling, disturbances occur in the water in the ice tray 2100(e.g., as the temperature of the water approaches 0° C.). Thedisturbances in the water agitate the water in the liquid state andprevent the super-cooling phenomenon.

Then, when temperature of the ice reaches the ice removing starttemperature T1, the controller 40 may begin the ice transfer section orperiod Si by operating the heater 2110.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an ice making assembly according toanother embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 7, an ice making assembly 200′ may include an ice tray2100′, a guide unit 2200′ and a rotation unit 2300′. Although the icemaking assembly 200′ may include a cover unit in the same or similar wayas shown in FIG. 3, it is omitted in FIG. 7 for convenience.

A vibration unit 2500 may be in the ice making assembly 200′. Forexample, the vibration unit 2500 may be in the drive housing 2320′ ofthe rotation unit 2300′. The vibration unit 2500 may be driven toprevent super-cooling, under the control of the controller 40. When thevibration unit 2500 is driven, the vibrations are applied to the icetray 2100. Thus, the vibration unit 2500 may be in contact with the icetray 2100 or an object (such as one or more rods, projections, or othermechanical structures) configured to transfer the vibrations from thevibration unit 2500 to the ice tray 2100. For example, the vibrationunit 2500 may be or comprise a motor configured to generate thevibrations (e.g., comprising an eccentric rotor and/or a rotor with aweight or center offset from its central axis). Thus, the vibration unit2500 may be or comprise a motor having eccentricity to effectivelygenerate the vibrations. The motor in the vibration unit 2500 isgenerally separate from the motor (not shown) that rotates the iceremoving shaft 2310′.

Since the process of preventing super-cooling by the controller 40 isthe same as or similar to the process described above with regard toFIGS. 5-6, except that the device that is driven to prevent thesuper-cooling is the vibration unit 2500, rather than the rotation unit2300′, a repeated description of preventing super-cooling of water inthe ice tray 2100 by driving the vibration unit 2500 is omitted.

Since the configurations and functions of the ice tray 2100′, the guideunit 2200′ and the cover unit, and the configuration and the function ofthe ice removing shaft 2310′ having the ice removing prominence(s) 2311′are the same as or similar to those of the ice making assembly 200 ofFIGS. 3 and 4, a repeated description of these components and theirfunctions is omitted.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ice maker thatcan effectively make ice and a refrigerator having the same can beprovided.

In addition, an ice maker that can reduce the time for freezing waterand a refrigerator having the same can be provided.

In addition, an ice maker that can prevent a super-cooling phenomenonand a refrigerator having the same can be provided.

The above detailed description provides examples of the presentinvention. In addition, the above description explains by showingpreferred embodiments of the present invention, and the presentinvention may be used in various different combinations, changes andenvironments. That is, the present invention may be modified or changedwithin the scope of the spirit of the present invention disclosed inthis specification, within a scope equivalent to the disclosed contents,and/or within the scope of the technique(s) or knowledge of the priorart. The above embodiments describe the best conditions for implementingthe technical spirit of the present invention, and various changes inthe specific application fields and usages of the present invention alsocan be made. Accordingly, the detailed description of the presentinvention as described above shows disclosed embodiments and is notintended to limit the present invention. In addition, the appendedclaims should be interpreted as also including other embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A refrigerator comprising: a main body having astorage room therein; a door on the main body, configured to open andclose the storage room; an ice maker in the storage room; and acontroller, wherein the ice maker includes: an ice tray configured tocontain water; a guide unit under the ice tray, forming a path forflowing cold air; an ice bucket under the guide unit and comprising acontainer having a concave center portion; and a rotation unitconfigured to move the ice in the ice tray to the ice bucket, whereinthe controller drives the rotation unit at least to preventsuper-cooling before the water in the ice tray freezes.
 2. Therefrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the ice maker furtherincludes a temperature sensor capable of sensing a temperature of thewater in the ice tray.
 3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, whereinthe controller drives the rotation unit to prevent super-cooling whenthe temperature of the water reaches a super-cooling preventiontemperature.
 4. The refrigerator according to claim 3, wherein thesuper-cooling prevention temperature is greater than 0° C.
 5. Therefrigerator according to claim 3, wherein the super-cooling preventiontemperature is 3 to 6° C.
 6. The refrigerator according to claim 1,wherein the rotation unit includes: an ice removing shaft above the icetray and having one or more ice removing prominences; and a drive or adrive housing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to providepower to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft.
 7. The refrigeratoraccording to claim 6, wherein the controller drives the rotation unit sothat the one or more ice removing prominences contact the water, untilthe one or more ice removing prominences come out of the water.
 8. Therefrigerator according to claim 7, wherein the water has a temperatureexceeding 0° C. when the controller drives the rotation unit.
 9. Arefrigerator comprising: a main body having a storage room therein; adoor on the main body, configured to open and close the storage room; anice maker in the storage room; and a controller, wherein the ice makerincludes: an ice tray configured to contain water; a guide unit underthe ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; an ice bucket underthe guide unit and comprising a container having a concave centerportion; a rotation unit configured to move the ice in the ice tray tothe ice bucket; and a vibration unit capable of applying a vibration tothe ice tray.
 10. The refrigerator according to claim 9, wherein therotation unit includes: an ice removing shaft above the ice tray andhaving one or more ice removing prominences; and a drive or a drivehousing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to provide powerto and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft.
 11. The refrigeratoraccording to claim 10, comprising the drive housing, wherein thevibration unit is in the drive housing.
 12. The refrigerator accordingto claim 9, wherein the ice maker further includes a temperature sensorcapable of sensing a temperature of the water in the ice tray.
 13. Therefrigerator according to claim 12, wherein the controller drives thevibration unit when the temperature of the water reaches a super-coolingprevention temperature.
 14. The refrigerator according to claim 13,wherein the super-cooling prevention temperature is greater than 0° C.15. An ice maker comprising: an ice tray configured to contain water; aguide unit under the ice tray, forming a path for flowing cold air; anice bucket under the guide unit and comprising a container having aconcave center portion; a rotation unit configured to move the ice inthe ice tray to the ice bucket; and a vibration unit capable of applyinga vibration to the ice tray.
 16. The ice maker according to claim 15,wherein the rotation unit includes: an ice removing shaft above the icetray and having one or more ice removing prominences; and a drive or adrive housing connected to the ice removing shaft, configured to providepower to and/or to rotate the ice removing shaft.
 17. The ice makeraccording to claim 16, comprising the drive housing, wherein thevibration unit is located in the drive housing.
 18. The ice makeraccording to claim 16, wherein the vibration unit comprises a motorconfigured to generate the vibration.